Colour me impressed. The Deluxe Dinobots look a ton like their 80s figures, but with better proportions and articulation, and they did a great job hiding the fact that they're combiners. Swoop makes me sad, but only because they gave him a blue chest.

Grimlock looks miles better than the blocky, stiff torso-bots we got in Combiner Wars. He actually looks like he'd be an enjoyable toy to mess around with on his own, which I can't really say for Silverbolt, Hot Spot or Onslaught.

Optimus looks pretty close to what I've wanted from a Generations Optimus since they launched the line. He's still got a bit of arm kibble going on and the trailer is a little weak, but Combiner Wars and Titans Return set the bar so low for Optimus figures that this looks like a big step up in comparison.

And here's some more pics of stuff we've already seen, like Rodimus, Jazz, Darkwing and Dreadwind. Also some movie stuff, not sure if it's new or not. The HFTD-Terradive-as-G2-Space-Case really caught my eye, because it seems to be done in solid colours this time!

Darkwing and Dreadwind do look good, it's just hard to get too excited about two figures that are retools of Aerialbot figures that I've already owned for a few years. But I do think that I'll buy them, since I am constantly saying to myself that I wish I had extras of some of the Aerialbot limbs so I could keep Superion combined and still have a couple separate to fiddle with. These two would fill that need nicely!

What's the overarching gimmick of this Power of the Primes shizzle then?

The Pretenders' inner robots (basically Titan Masters with no face) are all "Primes" that can be plugged into the Matrix holders that the Leader-class figures come packed with. The shells turn into weapons for the larger figures as well, and apparently the inner robots will be able to plug into the Deluxes and Voyagers somehow.

Honestly, it's a pretty weak unifying gimmick compared to what the last two lines had to offer.

Hun-grrr is absolutely heartbreaking. Did they...did they actually make him out of Silverbolt? Because it kinda looks like they made him from Silverbolt. The beast mode is infinitely worse than the 80s figure, the robot is a poor likeness and I can't see the torso mode being very Abominusesque either. Maybe it'll look better in colour but right now I can't remember the last time a figure I was looking forward to disappointed me this much.

I like the look of Rippersnapper. I didn't think Hun-Grrr looked that bad, but you're right, not the greatest looking toy. Primal looks interesting, especially the Optimal form and Moonracer's just kind of ...okay.

Hun-grrr is absolutely heartbreaking. Did they...did they actually make him out of Silverbolt? Because it kinda looks like they made him from Silverbolt. The beast mode is infinitely worse than the 80s figure, the robot is a poor likeness and I can't see the torso mode being very Abominusesque either. Maybe it'll look better in colour but right now I can't remember the last time a figure I was looking forward to disappointed me this much.

I've seen one pic comparing Hun-grr to a Silverbolt fan mode, and they look pretty similar, complete with bot-heels forming the lower jaws. I don't know if the fan mode was done before or after the Hun-grr pics came out. I just hope Blot isn't based on the Rook fan mode I've seen.

Hun-grr's bot mode looks alright. He lacks the original's round shoulders, which would have made him stand out from the other blocky torsos. The tail on the chest is new, but it works. The beast forelegs are too small, and the necks are too big. I like the spine spikes inside the flaps that cover the connector ports in the bot knees.

You can see a little of Abominus' chest on the inner bot legs. I'll miss the beast heads on Abominus' knees. It seems like a straight update of the G1 design would've been easier and worked better, though. Just add the Abominus chest to the beast underside/robot back, lock the arms in place in combined mode, and hide Abominus' head in Hun-grr's torso. Maybe make it a helmet that fits over Hun-grr's head, like TR leaders.

For the Dino limbs, it looks like they just took the G1 designs, replaced the Diaclone cockpits with combiner connectors, and added joints. Good. I'm less impressed with Grimlock as a torso, though I do like the T-Rex arms as shoulder kibble. Pics from the back show the shoulder holding Snarl sagging. Hopefully that means it's a prototype issue, and the release will have stronger joints to hold it in place.

Pics from the back also show Volcanicus' hands having two thumbs, presumably to help with limb swapping. I'd've prefered a single thumb that can change sides, like with HFGs.

Volcanicus' chest looks too busy, with the T-Rex head, hip joints, and spare hands all crammed together. Usually, gestalt chests look like a single, unified piece which offsets the inconsistent look of the rest of the figure. Maybe all the Dinobots having the same color scheme will help.

I'll get all 5 Dinobots anyway, just to have them as individual figures. I don't know how often I'll combine them, though. Maybe Dinobot shades of red and grey will make them a good fit for Optimus Maximus limbs.

Can you imagine how pleasant the rest of Hascon probably was while that dinner was on?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyquake87

I like the look of Rippersnapper. I didn't think Hun-Grrr looked that bad, but you're right, not the greatest looking toy. Primal looks interesting, especially the Optimal form and Moonracer's just kind of ...okay.

The thing is...Hun-grrr was one of my favourite toys when I was a kid, I still have him and even though he's 30 years old now I still think he's a great toy. So my standards for an update are a lot higher than, I dunno, Quake or Hot Spot or someone. And even just comparing the new figure to the official art it's easy to see how it could have been better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tantrum

I've seen one pic comparing Hun-grr to a Silverbolt fan mode, and they look pretty similar, complete with bot-heels forming the lower jaws. I don't know if the fan mode was done before or after the Hun-grr pics came out. I just hope Blot isn't based on the Rook fan mode I've seen.

Considering how they transform, I wouldn't be surprised if Blot was based on Rippersnapper, just boxier.

I have to admit, the first thing I did once I saw Hun-grrr was to break down my Superion so that I could try out Silverbolt's dragon mode. Wasn't impressed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tantrum

Hun-grr's bot mode looks alright. He lacks the original's round shoulders, which would have made him stand out from the other blocky torsos. The tail on the chest is new, but it works. The beast forelegs are too small, and the necks are too big. I like the spine spikes inside the flaps that cover the connector ports in the bot knees.

The beast legs are pretty weedy, and I don't know why they'd put the tail on his chest when everything else in the line is so slavishly accurate. The dragon necks are what really bug me, though. In the original (and this one's art!) they're the same thickness throughout, which really helps them look like, you know, actual necks. But since they cribbed Silverbolt's torso transformation, his shins have to fold over his thighs, and the end result looks like some guy with a couple hand puppets.

Also really disappointed at the torsobots' lack of any real accessories. The Grimlock on display doesn't seem to have a sword or a G1ish gun like the limbs, just those scuzzy foot-guns. And the same goes for Hun-grrr, who's really going to look bare without the original's huge shield and big-ass cannon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tantrum

For the Dino limbs, it looks like they just took the G1 designs, replaced the Diaclone cockpits with combiner connectors, and added joints.

A stroke of brilliance, that. I'd never thought about how conducive the original designs were to adding combiner ports. It barely even impacts their look at all.